Former Cowboy wideout a good candidate to replace Christensen

With the firing of University of Wyoming head football coach Dave Christensen on Sunday, the pressure is on athletic director Tom Burman.

Burman has the task of finding the replacement to guide the football program into a new area.

Burman wants to get the job done as quickly as possible, which I like.

He knows it's important to get the right man in place. Burman's job is on the line if things don't turn around in the UW football program.

This is the time of the year in college football when coaches are moving all over the country.

The UW search started in full gear on Monday, and there already is a list of candidates being mentioned. Burman is going to ask for assistance from former UW head coach Joe Tiller.

My vote for the new head coach is for former UW wide receiver Ted Gilmore. He played for the Cowboys in the early 1990s and was a graduate assistant from 1994 to 1996. He was a full-time assistant for the Cowboys in 1997-1998.

After doing research on Tuesday night, I found out Gilmore was in the running for the head position five years ago when Burman gave the position to Christensen.

Gilmore has been an assistant coach at Kansas, Houston, Purdue, Colorado, Nebraska and USC.

He's now the wide receivers coach for the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders aren't really a powerhouse these days in the National Football League, but it probably has been a major learning experience for Gilmore to be on the sidelines with the big boys.

It makes sense for Burman to hire Gilmore. Gilmore already knows what its like to play and coach at War Memorial Stadium. He has experience of going against current Mountain West Conference opponents.

If Gilmore is selected then he would able to be coach UW quarterback Brett Smith in Smith's senior year. Smith has to be frustrated with how the Cowboys played this year.

The entire fan base should be disappointed on how UW handled things on the field during the final month of the season. Wyoming's defense needs a full makeover.

If things don't work out for Gilmore to be the head coach then Burman should look for a top assistant defensive coach.

A name that has come into the spotlight is current head coach Craig Bohl at North Dakota State. Bohl has been the head coach there since the 2003 season.

He played football at Nebraska. He coached at his alma matter and also had stops at Duke, Wisconsin, Rice and Tulsa.

North Dakota State has been a power in the Football Championship Subdivision for the past three years. Bohl's team is the top-ranked team this season.

A coach on the rise is Northern Illinois head coach Rod Carey.

All Carey has done in his first full season is guide Northern Illinois to a 12-0 record. His team is on the verge of earning a spot in the Bowl Championship Series.

Carey was the defensive coordinator last season,he has the experience of recruiting players to an isolated town.

Those are three names I would like to see Burman go after.

I'm sure there are many more candidates, but I believe Gilmore is the man who could take over the program and get the Pokes back to being competitive in the Mountain West Conference.